Watch



Nov. 10, 1936. J PUTNAM 2,060,118

WATCH Filed Sept. 21, 1935 mum "-11 Patented Nov. 10, 1936 PATENT OFFICE WATCH James R. Putnam, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to Waterbury Clock Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 21,1935, Serial No. 41,563 2 claims. (01.58-91) This invention relates to an improvement in watches, and has for one of its objects the provision .of a superior time-instrument assembly of the class referred to, which is characterized. by superior convenience of. assembly and disassembly.

' Another object is to provide a watch structure in which the crystal is organized with the movement-unit in a superior manner so as to protect the face, hands, etc., when such movement is out of its case.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and appendedclaims, the present invention includes all features disclosed therei which are novel over the prior art.

In t e accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a face view of a pocket watch embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view mainly in transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 but showing the movemerit-plates and dial-plate in edge elevation and omitting most of the time-train;'

I Fig. 3 is an edge view of the movement-unit showing the crystalmounted thereon;

Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of. the crystal, partly broken away;

' Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view plate;

Fig. 6 is a view of the type of Fig. 2 showing a slightly-modified construction; and

Fig. 7 is a rear-perspective view of the crystal of the structure of Fig. 6.

er the dial- The watch structure chosen for the iliustration of-the inventionin Figa'l to 5 inclusive includes a front movement-plate 20 and a rear movement-plate 2l held in parallel spa'ced relationship by means of a plurality of. pillars 22. Between the said front and rear movementplates 20 and 2| is the space in which the timetrain of the watch is normally mounted, though the major portion of the said time-train has been omitted for clarity of illustration, inasmuch as it per se is not .here involved. The time-train referred to includes a center-wheel 23 and a center-pinion 24, both of which are mounted upon the center-arbor 25 of the watch, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Located forwardly of the front movement-plate 20 in parallel spaced relationship with respect thereto is a dial-plate 26 having the usual indicia marked thereon which are swept over by the usual minuteand hour-hands 21 and respectively. 7

The dial-plate 2.8 is formed ,with a plurality of rearwardly-bent fiangedike arms 29 of various circumferential widths and spacing, dependent upon the character of the parts of the watch structure which it is desired to clear. The rear edges of the said arms 29 rest against the front face of. the front movement-plate 20 and serve to maintain the dial-plate in spaced relationship forwardly of the said front movement-plate 20. Three (more or less) of the flange-like arms 29 of the dial-plate 26 are provided with retainingfingers 30 adapted to project rearwardly through suitable perforations 3i in the front movementplate and to be bent laterally outwardly to engage the rear face thereof and thus serve to firm- 1y anchor the dial-plate 26 to the movementplate in question. I

The periphery of the dial-plate 26, including the outer surfaces of its rearwardly-extending flange-like arms 29, provides an outwardly-facing crystal-seat over which is fitted the rearwardlyextending-terminal-flange 32 of a crystal 33 pref-v erably made of celluloid, pyralin, or equivalent material, though not so limited. The crystal 33, in addition to being provided with the terminalfiange 32 which provides an inwardly-facing clamping-surface '32, is shaped to provide a rearwardly-facing stop-shoulder 34 which is adapted to engage the forward face of the dial-plate 26 adjacent the perimeter thereof. The terminal flange 32 of the crystal 33 is notched as at 32 to clear the winding-and-setting mechanism not shown.

The shaping of the edge of the crystal 33 as just above described also provides an outwardlyfacing annular shoulder 35 adapted to. be engaged by that portion of a front case-member 36 which lies adjacent a sight-aperture 31 in the said case-member, through which aperture the face of the dial-plate 26 and the hands?! and 28 are visible. The center portion of the crystal 33 extends outwardly through the sight-opening 31 in the front case-member 36, as particularly well shown in Fig. 2. The ring-like front casemember 36 is provided with a rearwardly-extending'annuiar flange 38 telescopically receiving the annularfiange 39 of a bacig case-member 40 with a sufficient degree of snugness to insure that the said crystal will remain attached to the movement-plate assembly, of which the dial-plate 26 forms a part, when the case-members I6 and 40 are separated and the said movement assembly is removed for inspection, adjustment or repair.

In Fig. 6 is shown a movement-and-case-unit corresponding to that shown in the preceding figures, but in this instance a crystal ll is employed which varies slightly from the crystal 33 before described. Like the crystal 33, the crystal 4! is provided with a substantially-annular terminal-flange 42 which may snugly fit the periphery of the dial-plate 28 and, in addition, is provided with three (more or lus) retaining-lingers ll inwardly bent from the said terminal-flange 42, as particularly well shown in Fig. 7. By employing a suitable number of retaining-fingers such as u, it is not necessary to rely upon the frictional grip of the terminal-flange 42 upon the periphery of the dial-plate 20 to insure that the crystal 4| will normally remain in assembled relationship with the dial-plate.

Like the crystal 83, the crystal ll is provided with a stop-shoulder ll cngageable with the dialplate 20 and also with an outwardly-facing shoulder 5 which is engageable by the front casemember I;

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all 2,oeo,1 18

changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim: i

1. A watch structure including in combination: a movement-unit comprising a front movementplate and a rear movement-plate secured together in spaced relationship, a third plate-like member secured to the said front movement-plate and offsetting forwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect thereto; a crystal having a rearwardiy-extending terminal-flange embracing the periphery of the said plate-like member; and casing-means for the said movement-unit, including a front case-member and a back casernember, each having an offsetting flange telescopically engaging with the flange of the other case-member.

2. A watch structure including in combination: a movement-unit comprising a front movementplate and a rear movement-plate secured together in spaced relationship, a dial-plate secured to the said front movement-plate and offsetting forwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect thereto; a crystal having a rearwardlyextending terminal-flange embracing the periphery of the said dial-plate; and casing-means fa the said movement-unit, including a front casemember and a back case-member, each having an offsetting flange telescopically engaging with the so flange of the other case-member.

JAMES R. PUTNAM. 

